That Which Does Not Kill You
by Bards of Bedlam
Summary: JJ is a sharpshooter. It’s his job to shoot people, if he has to. But when one shot goes awry, he finds himself trying to prevent a suicide by the child of the man he’s killed. JJ/Drake, with a generous helping of Ryo/Dee.
1. With the Pricking of My Thumbs

All right, people! Here I am with another fic…. I don't know why I'm writing this right now, because I should, in all honesty, be working on all the original stories I want to get done, or working on homework, or trying to reorganize my schedule to fit everything in….but my muse will only allow me to write _Fake_ fanfics at the moment. Stupid, insolent muse…._never_ does what I say….

This is starting out looking like a pretty short story—probably only two or three parts unless I find other things to add to it. At the moment, the plot line is simple enough, and I'm praying it stays that way, because otherwise it will turn into a full-blown thing and I am _screwed_ if that happens.

-sigh- Enjoy this one, guys. All the other work I'm supposed to be doing is suffering so I can start it. Hope it's worth it…

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**Chapter 1—With the Pricking of My Thumbs…**

"Damn overnights…" Drake grumbled, setting a cup of coffee on the desk in front of his partner. "I hate Marty."

"No you don't," JJ replied with a laugh. "You don't have the heart to hate him. Besides, it'll be good for him to get a girl. Otherwise he might turn like the rest of us, and I don't even wanna _think_ about what Ted would do if that happened." The blue-haired man took a sip of his coffee and shuddered. "God, that's awful."

"I know. I put on a fresh pot."

JJ grinned. "You're such a good provider," he said, grabbing Drake's tie and pulling him down for a kiss. It stretched out and slowly deepened, until JJ finally broke it off rather reluctantly and said breathlessly, "Let's finish this fast, okay?"

Drake smiled. "Couldn't agree more. What do you want me to do?"

"Finish filling out that stack on the desk, will you? I'm gonna get the rest of this stuff into the computer and then we should be able to go home and get back on our normal schedule the day after tomorrow."

XXX

"God damn it," Dee muttered, tightening his hold on his lover and willing himself to stay asleep as the phone rang insistently on the bedside table.

Ryo groaned and turned over to bury his head in Dee's chest. "I need to get that."

"Ryo, it's our day off, and it's freaking early. Just pretend we're out or dead or something."

"Can't…it might be work." The blond haired man rolled over and reached for the phone at his bedside.

"Exactly my point," Dee replied wryly, moving over to put his arm back around Ryo.

"Mmm…'lo?" Ryo asked sleepily, smiling slightly as an arm slid around him from behind and he was pulled back against his lover's chest. "Hi, JJ…"

He knew without looking that Dee was scowling, and then the phone was snatched from his hand. "What the hell do you want, JJ?" A pause, then, "Die." With that, Dee turned the phone off, dropped it back on the table, and curled back up into his previous position.

_Riiiiing._

Dee reached over and picked up the phone before Ryo could get to it. "Go to hell." _Click._

Ryo sighed in exasperation and grabbed the phone when it rang a third time. "JJ, it is five thirty in the morning. You have _got_ to get yourself a life, man." He paused for a moment, then sat bolt upright in bed. "We're on our way."

XXX

By the time the partners arrived at the local Bank of America, a faint splash of gold had appeared on the eastern horizon. Police officers were milling about the premises, talking into walkies and on cell phones, taking or issuing orders, and discussing possible courses of action. They found JJ and Drake standing by their car, talking in grave tones and frowning deeply. The two looked up when Ryo and Dee reached them.

"What's going on?" Ryo asked breathlessly. "I heard 'Bikky' and 'hostage' and I was out the door before you could say anything else. What happened?"

"Hostage situation—been in there since five yesterday afternoon, but it wasn't called to our attention until five this morning. We were pulling an all-nighter at the precinct when it got called in, and they said they might need a sharpshooter. I figured I could handle it alone, but then I saw Bikky and Carol through the window—before they all got moved to the back of the place and all the lights went off—and I called you first thing. Rose'll have a tantrum, but it is what it is."

"Has anyone been hurt?"

"Bikky's fine, and so is everyone else, as far as we know."

"What does the guy want?"

Drake sighed. "We have no idea. He came into the bank wanting money just like any other robber, but as far as we know, the banker wouldn't give in and now the guy's decided to up the stakes. He's obviously desperate for cash, but we think it might be something bigger. He's almost frantic, and he keeps apologizing to everyone and babbling about some guy named Sawyer. But he's also shaking like an addict and every once in awhile he talks about needing a hit, so he should be making more demands than he is. It doesn't fit the bill. We don't know what to make of it."

"So…basically, we have no information at all."

"That's what it comes down to, yeah."

Ryo sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, no one's been hurt. That's something, at least. Do we have a hostage negotiator on the phone?"

"She's on her way." Drake put his hand on Ryo's shoulder. "She's the best in the business, Ryo. If there's anyone who can get Bikky out of there, it's her."

"Are you sure?"

Drake let out a quick bark of laughter. "Trust me on this one. She's my ex-girlfriend."

XXX

The hostage negotiator arrived ten minutes later, and was brought over and introduced to the four officers almost immediately. By that time, the place was swarming with even more officers, and they had been joined now by an ambulance and a truck from the nearest fire station; apparently there was cause for concern, no matter what words of reassurance Drake had offered.

The newcomer was introduced as Jackie Marshall, but that was all they learned about her. She wasn't a tall woman, but she gave off the sense of height and power as she stood before them, her eyes snapping with intensity and her manner businesslike and efficient. None of them could understand what it was about her job that had given her such a presence, but they didn't dare question it; they were intelligent enough to value their limbs, after all.

"Er…hi, Jackie," Drake greeted her, looking a bit nervous as he pulled her into an awkward hug and earned a smile from the intimidating woman.

"Relax, guys. There's no need to look so nervous, I don't bite. At least…not the good guys."

Drake chuckled and immediately looked more comfortable. "Guys, this is Jackie. Jack, this is Randy and Dee. Their son is one of the hostages, so…" He trailed off, clearly seeing no need to emphasize his point. The uneasy look was coming back now as he added, "And this is…JJ. My…partner…er…among…other things…"

JJ smiled slightly and slipped an encouraging hand into Drake's.

Jackie gave them both an appraising look that caused Drake's face to burn, although it wasn't visible to anyone except JJ. Then she smiled again, and said approvingly, "Good choice, Drake. He's hot."

Drake's face really did burn at that, and this time it was obvious to the entire group. Ryo pretended not to notice, but Dee roared with laughter and clapped his friend on the back.

They were all reminded why they were there, however, when Berkeley Rose came over to them and introduced himself to Jackie before sending her over to the group of officers that were standing near the building, next to a table that was covered with all sorts of equipment. Then the commissioner turned his gaze to Ryo and Dee, and he did not look pleased. "What are you two doing here?"

The conversation that followed was rather more hostile than it would have been in normal circumstances, but Ryo was not in the mood to be quiet or respectful and in the end, they were allowed to remain on the scene, if not to actually be involved in the process.

"That guy is such a—" Here, Dee called their boss quite a few names that caused Ryo to give him a reprimanding slap in the shoulder. Dee pouted as he rubbed his arm indignantly and said, "Oh, like you weren't thinking it."

XXX

As the day wore on, the very air around them seemed to grow tense, and the anxious looks on the faces around the officers weren't helping matters.

When the sun began to sink and dusk set in, Ryo was sitting on the bumper of one of the empty police cars, leaning into Dee's comforting embrace and for once not caring who saw. Dee held him gently, every once in awhile placing a kiss on his forehead or running a gentle hand through the blond hair.

Drake came over to them at about midnight, looking just as exhausted as the others felt and followed closely by an equally weary JJ.

"Any luck?" Ryo asked, tensing immediately.

JJ shook his head. "The guy's just getting more and more desperate….but he's not saying what he wants. He just keeps saying, 'Help her, help her, help us,' over and over and over. We think he's losing it, but he's not giving in…."

"And he's still apologizing, too, when he's not begging," Drake added, running a discouraged hand through is hair. "It's….weird. It doesn't follow the normal pattern. He's not obsessed with having power over anyone, he's not making any serious demands for money or drugs or anything, but….he's showing the signs of advanced meth addiction and he's definitely losing his hold on reality. None of us can make heads or tails of it…."

Ryo sighed in frustration and felt Dee squeeze his shoulder gently.

"Okay, so…what now?" the black-haired man asked. "It's been hours and they haven't made any headway at all. Is Jackie having any luck?"

"Well…no, not really," JJ replied hesitantly. "The guy doesn't trust her. He doesn't trust _anyone_. We can't get anything concrete out of him… We don't even know his name, which means we've kind of hit a wall in his background check."

Ryo groaned. "Great," he muttered, sounding eerily like Dee and brushing an exasperated hand back through his hair. "Just peachy. So what's the next step?"

"They're…talking about sending JJ up," Drake said quietly. "Just as a precaution."

Dee frowned. "It's come to that already? I thought there wasn't any immediate danger."

Drake looked uncomfortable. "There wasn't any danger this morning..." His mouth took on the grim set that is the characteristic of a police officer under undue stress. "I think 'immediate' just got here."

Ryo signed heavily and went back to leaning against his lover.

This was shaping up to be a _very_ long night.


	2. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Okay, I'm sorry this one took so long to post, guys. It took forever for me to get it just how I wanted it, and honestly, it still doesn't feel quite right. It's really hard to portray JJ in this kind of light, because he's usually so bouncy and cheerful. So if I didn't do it right, I'm sorry. This is new territory for me, and this chapter is an experiment of sorts.

Regardless of lack of decent characterization, I hope you enjoy this chapter at least a little. It's sort of a plot setup of sorts—nothing really happens, but it sets the stage so that something _can_ happen.

So…onward, men! –brandishes sword–

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**Chapter 2—Something Wicked This Way Comes**

JJ was an unusually jittery person. It was the reason that so many people were annoyed by him, and it was the first thing that Drake had noticed when they'd met. In fact, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for one to assume that that inability to remain calm was what had attracted Drake to the man in the first place.

It was one of the things that Drake loved most about his partner. He thoroughly enjoyed that incessant energy, that ever-present bounce in JJ's step, that agitation that sprung, not from nerves, but from a zest for life that was unequaled by anyone that had ever taken up residence in Drake's life.

But JJ was not jittery now. He never was just before an assignment.

JJ loved his job, he really did. He loved it, and he was damn good at it. But no one ever really wants to shoot, for any reason, and JJ was no different.

So when he ascended the ladder to the roof that stood across from the bank, giving him a clear view of the goings-on inside and providing a clear shot (should he have to take one), he did so with an unusual tension in his muscles.

But JJ was good at his job and he was nothing if not experienced. When the time came, he would pull the trigger with deadly accuracy.

And he would do it without remorse.

XXX

Drake watched apprehensively as his lover's face took on a look of grim determination and he started up the ladder. He always felt strangely tense and nervous whenever JJ was called upon to shoot—not because he had no faith in the sharpshooter's skill, but because without a little bit of luck, skill was virtually worthless in a job like JJ's.

Still, he couldn't help feeling just a little bit proud as he felt JJ lean up to give him a kiss before running off to his work.

God, he loved that man…

XXX

Ryo felt his heart clench in fear as the sun began to set; visibility would be a lot poorer now, but if the hostage negotiator hadn't had any sort of success yet, it didn't seem like she was going to.

It looked like JJ would have no choice but to shoot, and to a man whose entire life (or at least, half of it) was inside that bank, the idea of anyone opening fire on the place was absolutely terrifying.

Dee wasn't faring much better, but if there was anything the man was good at, it was being strong when strength should have been next to impossible for a person to find.

Ryo and Dee had that in common.

"Don't worry, guys," Drake said, coming up to stand beside them and noticing the apprehensive looks on their faces. "JJ's the best in the biz—next to Ryo, of course." (This earned him a small smile, which reassured him.) "I give it an hour before you've got your kid back and you're all sitting at home forgetting about all of this."

Ryo smiled. "I know. You're right."

Drake grinned. "Aren't I always?"

XXX

But this time, Drake was wrong…

JJ succeeded in his mission, yes; all hostages were released unharmed and Bikky wasted no time in running into the arms of his fathers.

The problem?

Not everyone left the bank alive.

XXX

JJ sighed in mild irritation as he knelt on the rooftop and watched the goings-on inside the building. It should have been the perfect viewpoint, but the lack of lighting inside the bank severely hindered his view.

But JJ had this job for a reason, and the shadows weren't going to deter him from doing it.

Time passed slowly. The sun began to set, and still there was no movement inside the bank.

JJ's legs had fallen asleep by the time something finally happened.

Inside the building, a patch of vanilla-colored hair suddenly shot across the floor, then hit the ground and skidded across the tile. A split second later, Bikky was pulled to his feet and a gun was jammed against his head. Even from here, JJ could see the infuriated look on the boy's face as he kicked his captor in the shins and made another bid for freedom.

But this wasn't a fair fight. It was one boy against a grown man with a loaded gun and issues that Freud himself would be baffled by, and JJ knew what he had to do.

It felt like hours, but only seconds passed before JJ saw his opening, and he took it.

The gun's bang drowned out all other sound, but he found the noise soothing rather than jarring; it was a noise that he was used to.

It meant that the job was getting done.

The bullet traveled through the window and hit its target with pinpoint accuracy. Bikky jerked free and jumped to the side, the man's gun fell to the floor, and he crumpled after it.

The silence was deafening.

XXX

There had only been one other time in the entire course of his career when JJ's aim had been less than absolutely perfect.

The target had died in that instance, too.

JJ hadn't felt any better about it then, but this time there was one notable difference. This time, Drake was there to hold him and murmur comforting words and love him regardless of all the reasons he shouldn't have to.

Drake was the one thing that kept JJ sane as he watched the criminal being taken out on a stretcher, a sheet pulled over his head to hide the wide, sightless eyes that would stare upward without seeing until such time as someone decided to close them.

Ryo and Dee didn't stay long; Ryo was anxious to get Bikky home and to the sleep that the boy had missed out on for well over twenty-four hours. So the two stayed just long enough to hug JJ, thank him, offer their support, and extract a promise from the blue-haired man that he would call if they could be of any help at all.

The two looked preoccupied and decidedly concerned as they left the scene, but it was nothing compared to what Drake looked like as he listened to JJ give his report to the commissioner. He didn't say anything, didn't do anything; he simply stood there, careful to just be close.

XXX

The sun was peeking over the horizon by the time they finally returned to JJ's apartment. JJ went immediately to the bedroom, his movements mechanical as he grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom without saying a word to his lover.

Drake sighed heavily as he changed and dropped onto the bed, listening to the shower in the next room and frowning deeply.

What the _hell_ was he going to say to JJ?

The frown became more pronounced. Drake already knew the answer. There was nothing _to_ say.

And that was a very, very difficult thing to accept.

He was still lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, when a weight dropped down on the bed next to him and a warm body curled up next to his. His arms came up to hold JJ in a tight, possessive grip, and he buried his face in the abnormally colored hair that had tucked itself neatly under his chin.

JJ lay there in silence for a long while, his body abnormally tense against Drake's. Usually, when they lay together like this, the man was almost boneless, completely relaxed; now, however, his muscles were like stone and he didn't even seem to notice who he was holding on to.

Then, all of a sudden, he expelled all of his breath in a huge sigh and his body relaxed as leaned up to plant a kiss on his lover's cheek. "I love you, Drake."

Drake blinked in confusion and looked down at him. "I love you, too."

Several more minutes of quiet passed.

"JJ, are you okay?"

After a pause, JJ replied, "No."

"Oh."

JJ chuckled. "I will be, though. I promise."

"…You shouldn't make promises like that."

"Why not?" JJ asked, propping his chin on Drake's chest and meeting his eyes. "I was fine last time."

Drake blinked. "Last time?"

JJ nodded. "I'm a sharpshooter, Drake. Do you really think this is the first time I've killed somebody?"

There was a long silence, during which Drake gave his boyfriend a long, searching look. "No. But I also don't think you're fooling you any more than you're fooling me."

There was no answer, aside from JJ's averted gaze.

"You know you can talk to me, JJ. About anything."

"…I know." A pause, then he continued in a softer tone. "But…there's really not much to say, is there? It happened. I can't change it, I can't fix it. I just have to…live with it. And I _can_ live with it, Drake."

Drake studied him for another moment, then pulled him in for a soft, gentle kiss. "I know you can. And…I'm here for you. Always, okay?"

JJ chuckled ruefully. "And that makes you…pretty much the best thing that ever happened to me, doesn't it?"

It was Drake's turn to laugh now. "Do I sense just the _slightest_ bit of sarcasm, Mr. Adams?"

"No, of course not." JJ's eyes were serious as they met Drake's. "I'm completely serious, love."

"For the first time _ever_," Drake replied, his eyes twinkling with humor as he pulled JJ close for a long, deep kiss that expressed everything he couldn't put into words.

XXX

That night, for the first time in a very long time, JJ had a nightmare.

He didn't remember it when he woke up; all he knew was that his heart was doing its level best to pound its way out of his chest, he was covered in a thick sheen of sweat and his arms were clinging to Drake like a lifeline.

Drake, for his part, held his lover and whispered soothing words; he didn't even think about what he was saying. He just said whatever came into his head, and it must have helped, because JJ eventually stopped trembling. In fact, he stopped moving completely, though his arms never loosened their hold on the man next to him.

"Are you okay?" Drake asked, at least a quarter of an hour after the shaking stopped.

JJ nodded.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

He shook his head.

"Okay. Go back to sleep. I'll be right here, okay? I won't leave, I promise."

"Okay. Love you."

Drake smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of JJ's head. "I love you, too."

_Always_.


	3. Only a Flesh Wound

Okay, so that last chapter was mostly a set-up chapter—a little bit of experimentation with characterization, mixed with some pre-plot development and a dash of fluff.

So yes, nothing happened in that chapter, but that's okay—that was planned, as was this one.

This is another "filler" chapter, if that's what you feel you have to call it, but the content is nevertheless substantial. We get some more looks at how JJ and Drake's relationship has developed, and how it will continue to develop while the boys deal with their new troubles.

Enjoy, kiddies!

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**Chapter 3—Only a Flesh Wound**

JJ didn't stir again until the sun had climbed into the sky and the bed was bathed in early morning sunlight. Glancing over at the clock, he groaned and dropped his head back onto the pillow; it was a little after seven, and he was late for work. Sighing heavily, he rolled over to wake his lover, only to find the space next to him empty.

It wasn't until he was rolling lazily out of bed and fumbling for the lamp that the events of the day before came back to him. He heard the sound of a gunshot ringing loudly in his ears, and saw blood exploding from his target's back as the bullet went in; it was all so clear, as though it were happening in that very moment instead of in an hours-old memory.

When Drake came into the room, it was to find JJ staring off into space, his shirt clutched in his hands; he held the fabric so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"…JJ?"

JJ blinked, his eyes skidding to the doorway, and Drake felt his heart tug at the look on the other man's face. He just looked so…lost. Confused…and so very, very alone. Then, as the two stood there and stared at each other, JJ's face slowly crumpled, and the tears finally started.

Drake cleared the room in a heartbeat, his arms coming up to wrap around his lover. JJ didn't return the embrace; he simply stood there, still as a statue, his eyes staring unfocused at the wall as the tears poured out of them. It was only a few minutes later that reality hit, though, and then JJ wrapped his arms around Drake and held on for dear life.

They lost track of how long they stood there, holding each other, the protector and the fallen. When JJ's arms finally fell back to his sides, his eyes were red and swollen, his face puffy and marked with tear tracks. Drake saw this, and did not let go.

"Okay?" the taller man asked softly. Then, feeling JJ nod slightly, he gave his lover another squeeze and released his hold, one hand wandering down to take JJ's. "Come on, get back into bed."

JJ shook his head. "We have to go to work."

"No, we don't." Drake pushed JJ onto the bed, then climbed under the blankets and pulled the other man into his arms. "I talked to the Chief. He gave us the rest of the week off."

"Oh…"

"And…he wants you to see the office therapist when you get back."

JJ sighed. "Okay."

"JJ?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

JJ closed his eyes, feeling tears prick the corners again. He didn't know how to respond to that anymore… But Drake didn't seem to expect a response. He just pressed a kiss to the top of JJ's head and let his hands wander down to rub his partner's back soothingly. JJ let his breath out in a long, quavering sigh, and allowed darkness to claim him, taking as much comfort as he could in the gentle contact from the man he loved.

If only it were enough…

XXX

The next time JJ woke up, it was nearly eleven and the space next to him was empty again. Faint sounds drifted into the room from the kitchen—gentle clatters and the quiet clink of dishes against each other, then running water.

Smiling slightly, JJ rolled out of bed and had begun fumbling around for a shirt before he remembered that he had no reason to get dressed today. He wasn't prepared for the wave of pain and frustration that this realization brought with it, but he shoved it down and padded out to the kitchen in his pajamas.

Drake was standing at the stove, bacon sizzling in a pan in front of him; he didn't seem to notice that JJ had come into the room, and jumped slightly when a pair of arms snaked around his waist. JJ's head rested lightly against his lover's back, and Drake smiled slightly as he turned to wrap his own arms around the other man.

"Morning," JJ murmured.

"Morning," Drake replied. "How're you feeling?"

The only answer was a slight shrug. _Like hell_.

"Want some breakfast?"

A pause, then, "I don't know." JJ's voice quavered as he spoke, but didn't crack.

"Nope, sorry, wrong answer. The correct response is, 'Yes, Drake, I would _love_ to take part in this delicious breakfast that you slaved over with my best and most profound interests at heart. Please, dish up this wonderful-looking food while I go make myself comfortable at the table. I love you so much for doing this for me!' Now you."

JJ chuckled softly. "Um…what you said."

"Good boy. Go sit."

JJ did as he was told, and a few minutes later, he was picking his way through a too-large plate of Drake's passable cooking and a cold glass of milk. His stomach rebelled immediately upon his first bite of food, but he forced down nearly half the plate to erase the concerned look on Drake's face, then pushed it away.

"You're not gonna finish it?"

"Nah, I'm not that hungry…"

"JJ, you have to eat."

"I just did," JJ snapped, before he could stop himself. Guilt immediately reared its ugly head when Drake's eyes dropped to his own plate. "…Sorry."

Drake smiled slightly. "It's okay. Here, I'll get the dishes. Why don't you go take a shower or something? I'll…pick a movie, okay? What're you in the mood for?"

"…Romantic comedy?" JJ asked hopefully.

Normally, such a suggestion would cause Drake to recoil in horror, but now he just smiled. "Absolutely. See you in a few."

XXX

JJ was feeling a bit better as he dug through his drawers and pulled out a clean pair of pajamas (if he was going to lounge, he was going to do it right). Drake really was trying, and the fact that someone was genuinely concerned about him was doing more for him than anything else could.

The "improved" feeling didn't last long, however…

He had just turned on the water in the shower when he felt a sharp pain in his head, and suddenly he was back at the bank. He felt the sharp jerk in his shoulder as the gun fired, saw the explosion of blood from the deadly blow delivered at his hand, imagined the life suddenly wiped out of the target's eyes…

His breakfast came up almost before he realized what was happening, and he just barely managed to make it to the toilet before he vomited violently.

It was several minutes before he was able to pull himself to his feet. Stumbling immediately, he caught himself on the sink's edge, and looked up to stare into his own eyes in the mirror; those eyes were rimmed by dark circles and held an almost haunted quality.

_The look of a killer._

Pushing that thought out of his head, JJ opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out his toothbrush. He couldn't get rid of the memories, but at least he could get rid of the taste…

For the moment…

XXX

By the time he returned to the living room well over an hour later (Drake had begun to think his lover might be trying to drown himself), JJ's face was clear and he had managed to fix a smile (albeit a fragile one) on his face.

Drake was waiting for him on the couch, the opening scene of _You've Got Mail _paused on the television screen in front of him. JJ smiled slightly and went over to sit next to him, allowing himself to be pulled close to his lover's side as the lamp was turned off.

He didn't end up watching much of the movie, having allowed his attention to wander not long after the opening credits. His mind drifted in a sort of half-awake state, not really focusing on anything but the feel of his lover's arms around him; those arms felt good. _JJ_ felt good, or at least…better.

The credits had been rolling for a minute or so before JJ realized that the movie was over, and that Drake had fallen asleep next to him. Even in his slumber, though, he had refused to release his possessive, comforting hold on his boyfriend.

Suddenly, an inexplicable anger flared up in him; what right did Drake have to…to hold him, and care about him, and try to take the pain away? Drake wasn't the one who had fired the gun. Drake wasn't the one who had ended a man's life. Drake wasn't the one who had to live with the guilt. Drake…

The anger died as quickly as it came. Pushing his lover away was an absolutely ridiculous idea, and a surefire way to lose what little sanity he had left.

Sighing, JJ allowed his eyes to drift over the well-known face before him; right now, that face was peaceful and relaxed, the faintest crease between the eyes the only hint of the worries that plagued the man during his waking hours. It was a beautiful sight, there was no denying it…

The ringing of the telephone jerked Drake awake, spoiling the view as he fumbled, half-asleep, for the telephone on the end table.

"What?" Drake tried to snap, but failed miserably due to the sleep that still clogged his voice. Then the exhaustion cleared from his face, and he sat up, the tone in his voice completely different from before as he asked again, "What?"

JJ blinked and watched a varied array of emotions flash across the other man's face. Drake's eyes flickered to him several times during the course of the conversation, a fact that worried JJ more than it probably should have.

"Okay…okay, we're on our way." Drake hung up the phone, and looked back at his lover. "We have to go."


End file.
